Gun burglars sentenced to probation

Four Flathead County men have been sentenced in U.S. District Court to five years of probation, including six months of house arrest, after firearms were stolen from local pawn shops last year.

Joshua James McCormick, 19, his brother Larry Charles McCormick, 21, and Virgil Duane Matt, 21, all of Columbia Falls, along with Joseph Allen Lesmeister Jr., 23, of Kalispell were sentenced on Sept. 11 in Missoula after pleading guilty to possession of stolen firearms.

According to a U.S. Department of Justice release, the foursome stole eight firearms from Wooden Nickel Pawn Shop on May 20, 2012, and 16 firearms from Anything Pawn Shop on June 22, 2012.

A Flathead District Court document says Matt admitted to police that during the Anything Pawn Shop burglary, one person served as a lookout while they pried open an overhead door and cut a lock on a gate, allowing them to bend the door enough for Matt to gain entrance.

Matt began collecting the guns and other items, passing them through the door to the three outside.

The items taken from Anything Pawn Shop included $1,250 in cash as well as the guns, seven scopes and other items, valued at more than $16,000.

Matt, Lesmeister and Joshua McCormick initially were charged with felony burglary in Flathead District Court, but Deputy County Attorney Ken Park said those cases were  put on hold to allow for federal prosecution. Larry McCormick was never charged locally.

Park said no decision has yet been made whether the local charges will again be pursued now that the federal cases have been completed.

In addition to probation, each of the four men were ordered to pay a special assessment of $100 and to join in the payment of $7,319 in restitution. All but Joshua McCormick were ordered to complete 400 hours of community service, although it is unclear if that was also to be split among the three.

Joshua McCormick was ordered to individually complete 200 hours of community service.

He also faces a new case in Flathead District Court after being charged with felony criminal distribution of dangerous drugs.

According to a court document, he is alleged to have sold a .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun and an eighth of an ounce of marijuana on July 26, 2012. It was following that transaction that he was arrested on a warrant for the burglaries.

His next hearing in that case is set for Sept. 18.